Proxy Packet Mechanism for Back-to-Back Non-Transparent Bridge Interrupts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dual host systems with back-to-back non-transparent bridges face challenges in bus enumeration and communication, particularly in ensuring interrupts can travel between systems, leading to inaccessible secondary spaces and increased complexity in software design.

Innovation Solution

A proxy packet generating mechanism is introduced between the secondary sides of the two host systems, enabling the transmission of PCIe interrupt generating packets through inaccessible areas, allowing each host system to access the other's memory-mapped input/output spaces and facilitating interrupt generation across systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If back-to-back non-transparent bridges are used to connect dual host systems, then system connectivity and distributed processing capability are improved, but bus enumeration complexity and software design complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem connectivityVSAvoidbus enumeration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A proxy packet generating mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the secondary sides of the two host systems. This mechanism generates proxy packets that enable interrupts to travel through the inaccessible secondary space created by back-to-back non-transparent bridges, thereby simplifying the bus enumeration process and reducing software design complexity while maintaining system connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If back-to-back non-transparent bridges are used, then distributed multiprocessor architecture is enabled, but interrupt transmission between systems becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistributed processing capabilityVSAvoidinterrupt transmission reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The proxy packet generating mechanism acts as a mediator that enables reliable interrupt transmission between host systems connected via back-to-back non-transparent bridges. By generating appropriate proxy packets, the mechanism ensures that interrupts can reliably traverse the inaccessible secondary space, maintaining distributed processing capability while solving the interrupt transmission problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If traditional PCIe architecture is used without proxy packet mechanism, then hardware structure is simpler, but software design and asynchronous communication become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware structureVSAvoidsoftware design ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By introducing the proxy packet generating mechanism, the patent shifts complexity from the software layer to the hardware/firmware layer. The mechanism automatically handles the generation and management of proxy packets, thereby simplifying software design and asynchronous communication while maintaining a relatively simple hardware structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9594717B2Method and apparatus to facilitate system to system protocol exchange in back to back non-transparent bridges

Publication Date: 2017.03.14 INTEL CORP

AI summary

A dual host system and method with back to back non-transparent bridges and a proxy packet generating mechanism. The proxy packet generating mechanism enables the hosts to send interrupt generating packets to each other.